Machine for cleaning grain



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. JOHNSON, OF JOHNSONBURG, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING GRAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,039, dated December 15, 1838.

i To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonon A. JOHNSON, of Johnsonburg, in the county of Genessee and State of New York, haveinvented certain Improvements in Machines for Cleaning lVheat and otherSmall Grain; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof.

The body of this machine consists of a cylinder of sheet iron placedupon a suitable frame, so as to stand in a horizontal position, whichcylinder has perforations on its periphery made in such a manner as thateach perforation shall present a metallic edge on the inside, againstwhich edges the grain is to be forcibly thrown by the rapid revolutionof arms, or wings, within the cylinder. These wings are supported on ashaft which passes through the cylinder, and has its bearings on theframe by which the cylinder is sustained. The cylinder is closed at oneend, with the exception of a center hole through which the shaft passes;at the other end the shaft sustains a head, made in the form of a wheelwith spokes or arms, and consequently leaving openings between them intothe body of the cylinder. To the inside of each of these spokes isaffixed a vane, or wing, so formed as to cause a current of air to passinto the cylinder, when they are in rapid revolution, and to aid greatlyin the process of clearing the grain. The grain is let into the cylindernear its openv end, on the upper side, and escapes through an open onthe lower side, at the opposite end. In passing through the cylinder itis thrown with great force, and repeatedly, against the projecting edgesof the perforations in the cylinder, by the arms or wings, while thecurrent of wind aids greatly in cleaning it; and in passing out it isoperated upon by a fan wheel, which blows out the remaining dust, chaff,and white caps, through openings left for that purpose, thus completingthe cleaning.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1, is a perspective view of themachine, A, being the cylinder resting upon the frame B,

B. The perforations a, a, a, in the cylinder are made with a punch, theface of which is oblong, and beveled in such a manner as that it shallcut through the metal at one side of each depression, and present asharp edge toward the open end of the cylinder, so as to meet the grainin its passage from one end to the other. C, is a whirl upon the shaft,by which the arms, or wings within the cylinder are made to revolve. D,a whirl on the fan wheel shaft, the casing of which is seen at E.

In Fig. 2, F, F, are the arms or wings which are carried around by theshaft, and run nearly in contact with the inside of the cylinder. Theyare usually made a little twisted, so as to give an inclination to thegrain to pass toward the delivery end of the cylinder.

G, G, G, are the inclined vanes which are fixed to the arms, or spokes,6, Z), Z), Fig. 3, of the open end of the cylinder, in such form anddirection as to force a current of air into the cylinder; this wheel, oropen head, being firmly fixed upon the revolving shaft, with its rimrunning close to the cylinder.

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section of the wind wheel spout, 0, being theopening through which the grain escapes from the cylinder into thespout. The general construction and arrangement of this part of theapparatus, are such as is familiarly known, being used in nearly thesame form in several other machines.

\Vhat I claim as my invention in the above described machine, and whichI desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The manner in which I construct the revolving apparatus within thecylinder, consisting of the open head, with the vanes attached thereto,and the arms, or wings in combination with each other, operating in themanner and for the purpose herein set forth.

GEORGE A. JOHNSON. Vitnesses R. K. MORSELL,

LINTON THORN.

